On Wednesday, Punjab chief minister asserted at a press conference that last Sunday’s grenade attack on a meeting of the Nirankari sect near Amritsar was the handiwork of the ISI. Announcing the arrest of one of the motorcycle-borne attackers who had thrown a grenade at the gathering, killing three and leaving 20 others injured, Singh said that the grenade was made in a Pakistani ordnance factory. While absolving his administration for any failure for the attack, he said the ISI was trying to revive terror in Punjab, and that the attack on Nirankaris was a terrorist and not a sectarian act.
However, instead of presenting a united front against the perfidious attempt by Pakistan to divide the communities in the border State, various political parties have indulged in name-calling. The most irresponsible, of course, has been the Aam Aadmi Party, whose Punjab leader publicly blamed the Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat responsible for the grenade attack. Phoolka’s idiotic comment elicited all round condemnation, obliging him to soon withdraw it. Given that the AAP has been accused of being in bed with the Khalistanis in the past, Phoolka played straight into the hands of his party’s critics. But then he only reflects the irresponsible streak that has been an intrinsic part of the make-up of the newbie ‘revolutionary’ party which is as opportunistic as they come. But what about others? Not much difference. The Akalis, distracted by their own internal strife stemming from a belated challenge to the vice-like grip of Sukhbir Badal over the party and the SGPC, blamed the Congress Government for laxity in law and order. Given the long history of confrontation between the Nirankaris and the Akalis, the onus to take special security measures indeed lay with the State Government. It faltered. But, to be fair, the post-attack situation was handled well, without it spilling into a street fight between Nirankaris and the SGPC members. Yet, the attack served as a reminder to the central government that Pakistan is yet again out to foment trouble in the border State.
With the winter approaching, infiltration into the Kashmir valley is bound to taper off to a bare minimum. However, the ISI might want to destabilise Punjab with its agents and touts in Kashmir and in Punjab itself, reviving Sikh militancy. With the Akali Dal in the throes of an internal power struggle, the need for the security authorities to be on guard against the ISI mischief cannot be exaggerated. The ISI has already done immense damage, inducing the Punjab youth to take to cheap, chemical drugs. It is a huge sociological and political problem which no party in power in Chandigarh has been able to handle adequately. Availability of cheap chemical-based opiates has virtually destroyed the youth of the once physically strong male population. Sowing the seeds of terrorism, including through the Canada-based Khalistani groups, is part of an ISI conspiracy to virtually neutralise the Indian border State which plays a significant role in the defence of the country.
Pakistan has another reason to divert attention from its current financial woes since foreign funding has more or less dried up, with President Trump denying it a fresh life-line on the valid ground that its role had been most perfidious in Afghanistan and even in Pakistan itself where it had harboured Osama bin Laden next to a military garrison. Trump often talks sense. This was one of those welcome occasions. Since Prime Minister Imran Khan has not taken long to prove that he is a mere puppet in the hands of the Rawalpindi GHQ, the ISI would be tempted to destabilise Punjab to divert the peoples’ attention away from the increasing financial woes of Pakistan. With elements in the AAP, the main Opposition in Punjab, playing footsie with the Khalistani elements, the onus is on the State and central governments to foil any Paki-inspired conspiracy. It is notable that the motorcycle-borne attackers against the Nirankaris were both local youths, though the grenade was sourced from the Kashmiri militants. The fact we are already in the election cycle, with the parliamentary election due sometime before May next year, it makes the situation further conducive for Pakistan to play mischief. Of course, there is no scope for Modi resuming talks with Pakistan ahead of the Lok Sabha poll, but he cannot take his eye off the ISI and its agents in India for a moment in order to ensure peace and security in the country.